CUCKOO tells the story of 17-year-old Gretchen (Schafer) who leaves her American home to live with her father and moves into a resort in the German Alps with his new family. Arriving at their future residence, they are greeted by Mr. König (Stevens), her father’s boss, who takes an inexplicable interest in Gretchen’s mute half-sister Alma. Something doesn’t seem right in this tranquil vacation paradise. Gretchen is plagued by strange noises and bloody visions until she discovers a shocking secret that also concerns her own family.

For in-depth thoughts on Cuckoo, please see my colleague Will Bjarnar’s review from its original theatrical release here.

Video Quality

Decal Releasing brings Cuckoo to Blu-Ray with a strong 1080p video presentation, although it would have been nice to give this one a 4K UHD Blu-Ray release. The film has numerous dark moments with black levels that veer toward a milky shade that gives up some object detail. This leads to some banding that could have been finessed with a stronger encode. Some other minor digital nuisances likewise keep the transfer from being a knockout. On the whole, the image is crisp with textures present in the production design and clothing. Some of the makeup effects are shockingly stark and complex. The presentation allows for a notable amount of depth in some expanses. This release is a fine viewing experience, but we would gladly buy an improved 4K UHD Blu-Ray if it ever materialized.

Audio Quality

This Blu-Ray comes with a stellar DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track that captures this unpredictable journey without a hitch. Dialogue comes through consistently without being clipped by any competing sounds. Ambient noises are deftly placed in the rear channels for a fully immersive experience. Environmental sounds are important for establishing the eerie nature of the story, and various creepy sounds effectively permeate the surround speakers. The score flows through the speakers with crisp fidelity. Pivotal moments add great texture to the low end making things extra evocative. The audio track delivers on all fronts. Optional English, English SDH, and Spanish subtitles are provided.

Special Features

The Making of Cuckoo: A nearly six-minute featurette in which the cast and creative team discuss the process of making the film, the direction of Tilman Singer, and more.

The Cuckoo Video Diaries: A nearly eight-minute look at the production of the film through candid on-set moments and an interview with Hunter Schafer.

On-Set Interviews: The disc provides insight into the creative process from various key figures from the production.

- Hunter Schafer (10:14)

- Frauke Firl – Costume Designer (7:49)

- Dario Mendez Acosta – Production Designer (5:01)

Deleted Scenes: There are six unused scenes totaling nine minutes of material provided here.

Trailers: This disc provides the Teaser (0:35) and the Theatrical Trailer (2:25).

Final Thoughts

Cuckoo is a mysterious and engaging film that keeps you guessing throughout with its increasingly odd scenarios. It does not all come together seamlessly, but it mostly stands tall thanks to a phenomenal central performance from Hunter Schafer. We love it when things get weird, yet this gets a bit too convoluted as we reach the end to keep up the impeccable pace established in the first half of the film. Decal Releasing has released a Blu-Ray featuring a fine A/V presentation and an entertaining selection of features. If you love an ambitious horror outing, this one is worth watching to see if it lands for you. Recommended

Cuckoo will be available to purchase on Blu-Ray, DVD, and Digital on October 22, 2024.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Decal Releasing has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.